If you want to work for a well known corporate employer, now is the time to research, plan ahead and apply. Some summer internship schemes are already opening applications for summer 2013.

With the start of the new academic year it is easy to forget to plan ahead for summer 2013. It may seem far off but NOW is the time that the big graduate employers advertise not only for graduates, but also for their summer internship schemes for 2013. If you want to work for a particular company or type of work, now is the time you should research their summer internship schemes and when they’re open for you to apply. Planning to get your application in early will avoid disappointment at a later stage when some companies may have filled their places before the closing date.

Accountancy, finance, banking, management consulting, IT and legal roles are being advertised now including on the CareersLink university website and also Milkround.com. Top graduate employers advertising include: Barclays (ratemyplacement.co.uk No.1 voted company for internships 2011), Morgan Stanley, KPMG, LEK Consulting, Saffery Champness and Standard Life.

There are still some short term vacancies for over the summer, so if you don’t yet have any work experience sorted yet, then check out what is still available and apply before it is too late! Work experience of even a few weeks can give you an opportunity to develop your skills for both continuing your degree studies and preparing you for a job after your course.

Some companies offer up to four week placements or even part time work, which in some cases is longer term and could fit around your studies. Look through a variety of sources including local newspapers, job websites, through your own contacts or contacting employers direct, as well as firstly checking vacancies on the University’s CareersLink website.

One example of a current summer internship for undergraduates is:

Journalist Student Internship with the Red Army on CareersLink, Ref: 14089.

There are 10 part time Journalist positions available. This role needs interns who are inquisitive, excellent at writing for magazines and the web, relating with all kinds of different people, as well as having a cool head under pressure and absorbing information quickly. As the Red Army is a publication for Manchester United, it is important for this role to have an interest in the football club and football in general.

You may be wondering what to do over the summer as well as catching up with family and friends, or working on some assignments for the new term. You may have already thought that you want to get a job to save up some money for next year at Uni, pay your rent over the summer or get some useful work experience to help you in your degree or with what you want to do after Uni?

One of the options worth looking into is applying for an internship. You can build up different skills and experience in a work environment, learn about a specific role or industry and with many of the internships advertised, get paid in the process, but always check what’s on offer!

The Careers Service has summer internships open to undergraduates with a number of different internships being advertised online as vacancies through Careerslink. Each internship needs a different set of skills depending on the role. Some are part time, some full time and they can vary in length from 2 -12 weeks.

Exams are fast approaching and graduation is just around the corner. Very soon you’ll need to make some decisions about your career, but don’t worry the Career’s Service has a brilliant scheme that will get your future moving.

The Manchester Graduate Internship Programme (MGIP) is exclusively for 2012 graduates from The University of Manchester and offers paid positions with a variety of businesses and organisations in Greater Manchester. The average salary for a MGIP internship in 2011 was £15,000 per annum pro rata and can last between 4- 12 months, with most start dates falling between June and December.

Katie Franklin, the Marketing Intern for Volunteering & Community Engagement Team at the University of Manchester describes her experiences.

With over 20% of graduates unemployed, this event will give you the opportunity to find out more about what you can do to make yourselves more employable and to develop those skills required to secure a job once you have finished your studies and help you stand out from the crowd!

Organised by students, (the majority of us are third years) for students, this event will highlight the importance of extra-curricular activities and give you the opportunity to attend presentations, interactive workshops and speak directly to experts who will be able to help and advise you how to develop those all-important skills.

Hear from representatives from the Careers Service, including talks on Volunteering and Internships, as well as hearing from the employers’ perspective along with the chance to speak to volunteering specialists from Manchester City Council and Student Action. The interactive workshops will help you identify the skills you already have and those you need to develop.

Adzuna Graduate Competition of 2012

Adzuna is pleased to present its first Graduate Competition of the Year 2012 to all recent or soon-to-be graduates, where you stand to win a 1 week placement with one of the leading companies in the UK including the likes of eBay, Sony and L’oReal as well as some CV mentoring. On top of that, you will receive a combined salary and cash prize of up to GBP 1,000. We looking for an outstanding individual among the recent graduates from a recognised UK university. Whether you excel in arts, music, sports, a particular academic, language or are an outstanding student union member, leader, or social contributor, we want to hear about you and why you deserve to win. For more information and details on how to apply, go to http://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/graduate-of-the-year.html. Deadline is 31st May 2012 and the winner will be selected on the 1st of July 2012.

About Adzuna

Adzuna.co.uk is a search engine for classified ads which makes it easier for you to find the right car, property and job locally. The company was named a Top 20 Startup of 2011 by Startups.co.uk, a finalist in the Website of the Year awards, and shortlisted for the Europas. The company has raised £800k in investment financing from Index Ventures, The Accelerator Group, Passion Capital and angel investors.

Is it suddenly on your radar that summer isn’t far away? Do you have this vague feeling that your CV is a bit bare and there should be more on it? Then read on.

Aside from your degree, work experience is the number one thing future employers will be looking for on your CV. A scary thought perhaps, if the best you have so far is a few days from when you were at school. But the good news is that everything you do counts, and there are many ways to get it, including casual vacation work this summer, a professional summer internship, industrial placement, work shadowing or a few weeks informal work experience. They need not be related to your degree. Even part-time work can count toward your work experience, its about what skills these experiences give you and how you talk about them that matters.

The key is to do something now, while there is still time before the end of your degree!

If you haven’t yet seen the work experience section of our website, you will find lots of tips and advice there, with links to where you can find advertised vacancies in CareersLink and other jobsites.

If you would like to ask your burning questions to a real person face-to-face, then come along to one of our work experience talks taking place on 14th and 21st March. You can also speak to someone in the Careers Service, including our information team whenever we are open (Monday – Friday 9-5), an applications advisor if you need some advice on your CV for an internship, or a Careers Consultant if you want to discuss what kind of careers you could go into, and what kinds of experience would boost your chances.

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